Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

NEWMAN, Joe

(b 7 Sep. '22, New Orleans; d 5 July '92) Trumpet, leader, composer; also vocalist. Took Alabama State College band on the road; joined Lionel Hampton '42--3, Count Basie '43--7; co-led touring groups with Illinois Jacquet, with drummer J. C. Heard; then with Basie '52--61, established among the most highly regarded of mainstream jazzmen, deeply infl. by Louis Armstrong but with an up-to-date personal style. Involved with Jazz Interaction from '60s, promoting awareness and education, writing music for its orchestra (e.g. 'Suite For Pops'); played with New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra. A dozen small-group LPs under his own name for Vanguard, RCA, Savoy etc '54--6 had tasty all-star casts; Salute To Satch '56 on RCA was a big-band LP; The Happy Cats '57 on Coral was a sextet; he co-led a quintet with Zoot Sims '57, eleven-piece band '58 both on Roulette, later combined in two-disc set Similar Souls on Vogue; others on Danish Met label, Mercury, Heney Dew, Black and Blue. Jive At Five and Good'n'Groovy '60--61 both on Prestige Swingville (later on Fantasy CDs) with Tommy Flanagan; In A Mellow Mood '62 on Stash with rhythm trio; Swing Lightly on Hall of Fame Jazz with Ruby Braff; Duets with Jimmy Rowles '79 on Cymbol made in London; Hangin' Out '84 on Concord Jazz co-led with Joe Wilder, with Hank Jones, Rufus Reid on bass, Marvin Smith on drums. Also Byer's Guide from '56 with the Billy Byers Sextet incl. Gene Quill and The Count's Men '56 (nonet with Basie) now on Fresh Sound CDs.